The Royall Consort was formed twenty years ago by Roland Hayes, David Abbott and Nancy Nuzzo to play 17^th century English chamber music of William Lawes, John Jenkins, Matthew Locke and other composers. We have had different personnel over the years, and we have also played French baroque chamber music.  The Royall Consort is the name given to ten Setts of dances by William Lawes, a brilliant young composer who was killed in the English Civil War.

For Saturday February 18^th we will play French baroque chamber music of Marin Marais (1656 – 1728) and Jaques Bodin de Boismortier (1689 – 1755) as well as two suites by Englishman William Williams (1675 – 1701).

Marin Marais was a fixture in the court of Louis 14^th (1638 – 1715) and his trios (1692) strongly reflect the late 17^th century style of Versailles and Lully. William Williams composed in a somewhat later style with more Italian influences. Jaques Bodin de Boismortier was one of the first composers to enrich himself through the publication and sale of his very popular chamber pieces.  Forty years after the Marais trios, Boismortier’s trios (1732) are lighter and quicker in style, reflecting the more popular side of the high baroque period.